Pumping apparatus



March 1953 w; H. TINKER 2,632,393

PUMB'ING APPARATUS Filed May 7, 1949 INVENTOR WALTER H. TINKER ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 24, 1953 1 r UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PUMPING APPARATUS Walter H. Tinker, St. Louis, Mo., assignor to Fairbanks, Morse & 00., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application May 7, 1949, SerialNo. 92,050

3 Claims.

ing assembly having chambers, ports and pas- 5 with a fluid intake or foot valve means 16. In sages arranged in a manner such that a jet Fig. 2, the fluid storage tank I1 is seen to be pump may be internally or externally associated connected with the housing by a'conduit l8.

therewith and caused to pump fluid into a pres- More specifically, the housing assembly Ill insure pump impeller disposed in the housing at cludes a lower or base casting member 20 havan advantageous location, the selective associing an upper wall 21 formed with an impelleration of the jet pump being made possible by bowl'22, the suctionport of which is at 23. The the use of accessory parts which are interchangeupper wall 2| is supported by the depending able, but easily installed in predetermined asskirt 2 3, and this skirt is characterizedbya sociation with the housing. flattened wall portion '25-along one side, in which The invention also consists in the details of are grouped ports 2-6, 21 and 28. These ports the construction of such a housing assembly, respectively receive, in threaded relation, the wherein an advantageous disposition of housing conduits M, I5 and 18. At one end zone of the chambers and external and internal ports furwall 25, the skirt is further formed to provide nishes the basis for associating the pressure pump a flat wall portion 29 (Fig. 3) at right angles and jet pump in a deep well and shallow well to the wall 25. The wall 23 is recessed at 3| in fluid pumping circuit with a minimum of conthe zone of a port 32 inwardly off-set from the fusion in the order of connecting conduits for outer face of the Wall 29. Adjacent the portthe flow of fluid from the well and between the 32 and its recess 3!, a second port or opening 33 pumping apparatus and a tank. is formed to open through the wall portion 29.

A preferred embodiment of the pumping ap- 25 The internal space of the base cast-ing 20 ad paratus exhibiting the above stated characterjacent wall portions 25 and 29 is suitably diistics is ilustrated in the accompanying drawing, vided into a plurality of chambers having a prewherein: determined association with the skirt ports, above- Fig. 1 is a sectional elevational view of the indicated. As may be seen in Fig. 3, a pair of improved pumping apparatus as adapted for deep 30 elongate walls 34 and 35 arearranged in spaced Well application, relation to define a chambered space 36 having Fig. 2 is a plan view, partly in section, of the ports 21 and 33 located at its opposite ends. the d p well pump pplication as s en alon line The. central area of space 36 is somewhat en- 2-2 in Fig. 1, larged so that it will include the impeller bowl] Fig. 3 is a further, enlarged sectional view, in 5 inlet port 23 in its upper surface. Thus, space plan, of the improved housing when conditioned 36 communicates with the bowl 22, and will asfor deep well application, the view being taken sume the function of a suction chamber for the at line 3-3 in Fig. 1, impeller l2 in the bowl 22, and the entire fluid.

Fig. 4 is an elevational View of the improved input to the base member passes through this housing as seen at line 4-4 in Fig. and chamber;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but illustrat- The outer wall 25 and inner wall 35 define a ing the modifications required to adapt the same space which is divided by the transverse wall 31" for shallow well use, with the jet pump internally into a pair of chambers 38 and 43. A common of the housing. wall or floor 39 (Figs. 1 and 4) is associated The present apparatus is an improvement on with each of chambers 36', 38 and 40, and the the pumping apparatus disclosed in a copending upper wall 21 completes the formation of these application of Walter H. Tinker, filed on May chambers. The chamber 38 is associated with '4', 1949, and bearing serial No. 92,049. This apthe skirt wall port 26 and is further provided plication is directed to the improvements in the with a port t! (Figs. 1, 2 and 4) opening, uphousing assembly, as will now be described in wardly through the wall 2|, and an orifice or detail. port-'32 in the transverse wall 31 which opens to Considering the views of Figs. 1 to l, inclusive, the adjacent chamber 40. The chamber 40, in the pumping apparatus includes a housing aslike manner, is associated with the skirt port 28; sembly l0 carrying an electric motor I l for opand is further located between the axially aligned erating the impeller l2 of the pressure pump ports '32 and "42 respectively positioned in the disposed within-the housing. A jet pump-unit- !3, in this-case located in a well (not shown) is connected to the housing In by a pair of conduits Is and I5, and the jet pump is provided iecess 3| and in the transverse wall 31. Pressure chamber 38 receives the entire flow of fluid from the impeller and acts to divide the same for flow through port 26 and toward port 42, as will appear presently.

The housing assembly also includes an upper casing member 43 enclosing the upper wall 2| of the base member about its periphery, and forming a fluid discharge chamber for the impeller [2. The casing 43 also incloses a suitable difiuser ring member 44 immediately surrounding the impeller and cooperating with the bowl 22 to provide an impeller enclosure having the fluid discharge passages 45. The impeller, of generally conventional form, has its suction eye 46 in the suction port 23 and a plurality of fluid passages 41 outwardly opening to the difiuser ring 44. The fluid pumped by this impeller enters the discharge chamber 48 (Fig. 1) in the casing member :33 and is constrained to flow through the port 4| in wall 2| to the lower chamber 38. Chamber 38 thus becomes a pressure chamber and acts to direct the fluid toward ports 26 and 42, depending upon the pumping circuit chosen.

In a deep well installation, where the jet pump I3 is located in the well or other source of fluid supply, the pumping circuit chosen will conform to that shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. Thus, the jet pump I3, through its suction chamber 50 between the nozzle 5| and Venturi tube 52 lifts fluid from the source for flow through conduit [5 to the suction chamber 36 at port 21. The impeller entrains the fluid from chamber 36 and forces it into chamber 48 where it passes downwardly through port M to the pressure chamber 38. A part of the fluid in chamber 38 returns to the jet pump [3 by way of port 25, conduit [4 and the elbow passage 53 in the jet pump fitting 54.

The effective fluid delivery from the pump housing It to tank I'Ithrough conduit I8 is from the chamber 49 by way of the port 42 in transverse wall 31. Since the jet pump l3 requires a certain minimum Supply of fluid under pressure to energize'thesame, the fluid reaching chamber 38 under pressure is divided in such a way that an adequate supply continuously flows to conduit I4 and the excess fluid is permitted to pass to the chamber lflfor supply to tank ll. The division of fluid is automatically regulated by a valve assembly 56 (Fig. 3) which is responsive to the pressure developed in chamber 38.

The control valve assembly 56 is mounted on a suitable plate 57 which fully covers the housing ports 32 and 33, but allows for the inward projection of a guide sleeve 58 at port 32, the sleeve being threadedly mounted in a collar 59 carried in the plate 57. A valve element iii! has its stem 6| slidably disposed in the axial bore in sleeve 58, and the valve is urged by spring 52 .to close port 42 by the valve face 63. Fluid leakage externally of the housing past the valve is preventedby a bellows member 64. The valve spring 62'is adjusted by axial positionment of the sleeve 58 so that the port 42 will be opened by valve movement at a predetermined pressure in chamber 38. It is, however, desirable to maintain a spring force on the valve to prevent collapse of the bellows under back pressure effects in conduit l8 to open the port 22.

In conjunction with the regulating valve 56, the motor ll driving impeller l2 by its shaft 66, as

shown, is supplied with 'a pressure responsive I responsive mechanism (not shown) connected through the small conduit 69 with a port 10 in wall 25 (Figs. 2, 3 and 4) and opening to the chamber 40. The end of conduit 69 shown in Fig. 1 is assumed to be a part of the other end shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Connected in this zone of the pumping circuit, the switch 6! is responsive to pressure in the tank side of the apparatus, and is set to start the motor II at a predetermined low tank pressure and to stop the motor when the pressure reaches a desired high value.

When converting the apparatus for use with a shallow well, the assembly is simply and quickly modified by removing the regulating valve 55 and its mounting plate 51, and substituting the jet pump nozzle 11 and Venturi tube 12, as shown in Fig. 5. The nozzle 1! is threaded into port 42 and the tube 12 is threaded into port 32 so that the jet pump suction is in chamber 40. Chamber 38 now supplies energy fluid directly to the nozzle a I. In place of the former plate 51 at wall 29, there is now used a chambered closure member 13 which receives the jet pump fluid discharge and directs such fluid to the port 33 of suction chamber 36. Since port 33 is now in use, the former fluid'input conduit I5 (Fig. 3) is removed entirely and a suitable closure plug it is threaded into the port 21 (Fig. 5) Conduit M is also removed with conduit l5, and a conduit fitting 15 is mounted at port 25 for connection with a suitable part of the conduit l8 leading to the tank H; The fluid suction conduit 76 leading from the source of fluid supply, as a shallow well, is now substituted at port 28 for that portion of conduit 18 which is necessarily removed when re-' establishing the tank connection at fitting 15. The shallow well pumping circuit is now complete, and it will be observed that only two external conduits l5 and it are needed, both being located in the wall 25 of the base member 20.

When converting to shallow well application, or in initial installation, the motor control switch 5? has its pressure conduit 69 connected into chamber 38 at the port 11 so as to respond to tank pressure conditions for starting and stopping the motor. Thus, the switch end of conduit 59 remains as shown in Fig. 1, but, its opposite end is now shown at 69' (Fig. 5). At the time conduit end 59 is connected into port 11, the plug element 18 (Fig. 3) is removed and placed in port ill at chamber 40 (Fig. 5). The pumping apparatus is now fully converted to shallow well use, with the jet pump mounted internally of the base member 20.

The foregoing description of the improved pumping apparatus sets forth the important characteristics of structure which enables its use either for deep well or shallowwell operation, and it is believed that the respective fluid pumping circuits have been sufliciently detailed to give a ready knowledge thereof without further discussion.

It is apparent that the present apparatus pro-" vides a relatively simple pump housing structure, having a novel and improved arrangement of chambers and ports for selective shallow well and deep well application. While the present embodiment is disclosed as a preference, it should be clear that certain modifications may be made herein, without departing from the intended scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A pump housing assembly for pumping apparatus of the character described, comprising a' unitary base member providing a top wall having an impeller bowl'and a suction port centrally in the bowl, an upper casing member seated on said base member and forming with said top wall a pump discharge chamber, said base member further providing an outer side wall having a fiattened wall portion at one side of the member and a planar wall portion extending substantially normal to and adjoining one end of said flattened wall portion, a bottom wall, and wall means internally of the base member forming with said top, bottom and side walls, a plurality of charmbers, one of said chambers constituting a pump suction chamber communicating with said impeller bowl through said suction port, another of said chambers constituting a pressure chamber, said top wall having a port therein communicating said pressure chamber with said pump discharge chamber, said flattened Wall portion being provided with a plurality of ports one associated with said suction chamber, another associated with said pressure chamber and a third port associated with a third chamber of said plurality of chambers, said planar wall portion having a port associated with said suction chamber and an opening associated with said third chamber, and said wall means internally of the base member including a wall element between said pressure and third chambers provided with an opening therein arranged in axial alignment with said opening in the planar wall portion.

2. In well pumping apparatus including a jet pump unit located in the Well and having fluid pressure delivery and return conduits connected therewith, the combination of a unitary chambered member providing top, bottom, side and interior walls, forming in the member a suction chamber, a pressure chamber and a third chamber, the member further providing in said top wall an impeller bowl having a suction opening communicating with said suction chamber, an impeller operable in said bowl, casing means over said top wall and enclosing the impeller and bowl and forming an impeller discharge chamber, the member having an opening in said top wall communicating said discharge chamber with said pressure chamber, said side wall of the member including a flattened portion common to said suction, pressure and third chambers and having a plurality of ports therein, one associated with each of said suction, pressure and third chambers, the pressure delivery conduit of the jet pump unit being connected to the port associated with said pressure chamber and the return conduit of the jet pump unit being connected with the port associated with said suction chamber, said third chamber having a first aperture in an interior wall portion thereof opening to said pressure chamber and a second aperture opening through the side wall of the member, said suction chamber having a port opening through the side wall of the member in a zone thereof adjacent said second aperture of the third chamber,

a fluid storage tank having a feed conduit connected to the port associated with said third chamber, a closure element removably attached to the side wall of said chambered member in a position to close the last said port of the suction chamber and to overlie said second aperture of the third chamber, and control valve means oarried by said closure element and projecting through said second aperture, providing a valve element in operative association with said first aperture, said valve means being effective for opening and closing said first aperture in response to fluid pressure variations in said pressure chamber.

3. A pump housing assembly for pumping apparatus of the character described, comprising a unitary base member providing a top wall having an impeller bowl and a suction port centrally in the bowl, an upper casing member seated on said base member and forming with said top wall a pump discharge chamber, said base member further providing an outer side wall having a flattened Wall portion at one side of the member and a planar wall portion extending substantially normal to and adjoining one end of said flattened Wall portion, a bottom Wall, and wall means internally of the base member forming with said top, bottom and side walls, a plurality of chambers, one of said chambers constituting a pump suction chamber communicating with said impeller bowl through said suction port, another of said chambers constituting a pressure chamber, said top wall having a port therein communicating said pressure chamber with said pump discharge chamber, said flattened wall portion being provided with a plurality of ports one associated with said suction chamber, another associated with said pressure chamber and a third port associated with a third chamber of said plurality of chambers, said planar wall portion havin an opening associated with said third chamber, and said wall means internally of the base member including a wall element between said pressure and third chambers provided with an opening therein arranged in axial alignment with said opening in the planar wall portion.

WALTER H. TINKER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,203,077 Carpenter June 4, 1940 2,257,507 Mann Sept. 30, 1941 2,272,906 DaCol Feb. 10, 1942 2,319,509 Lung May 18, 1943 2,375,571 Mann May 8, 1945 2,440,912 Parker May 4, 1948 2,444,100 Hill June 29, 1948 

